Tale of Three
by Proteus013
Summary: A Newsie fanfic. Featuring three new characters, more or less based on actual people.
1. Da Foist Chaptah

(Much thanks to the people who are characters in this story! What would I do without ya?)  
  
TWING-PIP  
  
TWING-PIP  
  
CLINK!  
  
Waffles bent over to retrieve his coin. Although there was already enough noise coming from one of the girls on stage, the sound of the coin had been deafening. Waffles ignored the disgusted looks from around the room.  
  
TWING-PIP  
  
TWING-PIP  
  
"Would youse knock it off already!" snapped Sparks. Waffles glanced at Sparks and then at a rather annoyed Hiccups.  
  
TWING..... Sparks knocks the coin outta the air and it fly's off the balcony and lands somewhere amongst the seats below. " 'EY! Ise was gonna get me papes wit dat!" protested Waffles completely overlooking the fact that he had more coins in his pocket. "Sit down, would ya?' said Hiccups 'Youse gonna watch the show or what?"  
  
Waffles slinks off to a nearby corner within sight of the show, humming to the song being sung. Waffles seemed unusually restless and depressed. He loved the theater, but he just couldn't focus on the show. To Hiccups and Sparks this seemed nothing out of the ordinary as this happened all the time.  
  
Below the girl on stage finished her song and thus ending tonight's show everyone began to leave, everyone, that is, except Hiccups, Waffles, and Sparks who got up and went into another room where Hiccups had been staying for the past 3 days. Waffles quickly found a corner to stand in, Sparks and Hiccups sit down in chairs set out by a table. Waffles, feeling completely out of place, finds a chair and joins everyone else at the table.  
  
"So when's Medda gonna show up?" asked Sparks.  
  
"I dunno... she should be 'ere soon" replied Hiccups  
  
Waffles produces another coin and begins to flip it. Hiccups and Sparks stop what they're doing and glare at him menacingly. Waffles glances up from what he's doing and quickly pockets the coin. "Uhhh I.... sorry" Waffles soon found himself standing by a window overlooking the street below. From his vantage he could see a cop riding a horse, a skinny newsie, and half of one of the Delancey brothers in an alley. The smell of food wafted in the air and Waffles began to think of home... or what used to be home, before the fire, before he lost his parents, before life on the streets of Harlem or Brooklyn or wherever he happened to find himself living. Now home tended to be an alley behind the theater, though he would never let Medda know. He hated the idea that Medda might offer him a place inside, he hated receiving charity though he often found himself being charitable when he could afford to be. He only recently became a newsie for the World and found that he had a knack for improving the headlines.  
  
Waffles heard the door open behind him. He quickly spun around expecting to see Medda. Instead a tall man stood there. Waffles didn't recognize this man nor did Sparks or Hiccups judging by the confused looks on their faces.  
  
"Hallo der! Medda sent meh ta tell ya she can't make it tanight. She sez she's sorry and dinnahs on her." The man placed some money on the table. "Well, Ise'll be goin' now. Enjoy dinnah!" The man turned and left forgetting to close the door behind him.  
  
The three looked at each other quizzically. Hiccups was the first to speak "Wonder why she didn't come..." the sound of Waffle's stomach growling cut her off. "We'll find out about tat latteh, lets go get some food foist" 


	2. Tibby's

" 'ey, Blink, youse gonna pay up or what?" Racetrack said with a sly grin. Blink sighed, he knew better then to play against Race at poker but boredom wore away at him and now he's down four cents. "Double or nutin'" Blink said hopefully. Race nodded and dealt the cards. He put two cards down and drew two more maintaining his poker face at all times. Blink exchanged three cards grinning slightly. Blink always grinned like that when he didn't think he could win and Race knew it. "Wha'd'ya got" Race said smugly. "Pair of jacks. What you got?" Blink replied. "A pair of jacks.... pair of jacks" Race said sadly "What a waste of a poifectly good hand! Full house, ya bum! Pay up."  
  
Snickering could be heard from a nearby bunk where Mush had been watching. Blink tossed his hand down and dug unhappily through his pockets for coins. "Ise got a dime. Youse got two cents?" Race shook his head "Nah, Ise don't got any money." Blink glared at Race "You were playin' wit out any money?!" "What can I say?" retorted Race "Youse just paid for dinnah."  
  
Blink stared at Race. Had he ever seen anyone more pleased with themselves. Nearby Mush was roaring with laughter. Skittery quickly leaped out of the way as a half laughing, half yelping Mush toppled out of his bunk, apparently having rolled the wrong way in his amusement.  
  
Mush got up and gingerly rubbed the area on his arm where he had landed. " 'ey if youse gonna go get dinnah Ise'll come wit'cha." "Wha'd'ya say, "Race said turning to Blink "Split that dime ovah dinnah?" "Alright" Blink sighed "lets go ta Tibby's n' eat der" "Youse read minds now Blink? " Race said grinning.  
  
Blink and Mush were the first out of the Lodging House. Race slowed down to light a half-smoked cigar he had been saving and nearly walked into Snipeshooter who had just come in still carrying three papes.  
  
Mush bummed off of Race's cigar and Blink could be heard muttering to himself, but none of them really spoke to each other on the way. They walked into Tibby's in the same way and helped themselves to a table in the back.  
  
"So..." Race said breaking the silence "How'd youse two do taday?" "Not bad, sold sixty papes taday down in Central Pawk." Mush said "Sixty papes? Wit taday's headline? Mayor finds lame dog on lawn?" Race said questionably "No, wit dis headline," Mush cleared his throat "Nude mayor confronted by rabid dog!"  
  
A waiter walked up to the table and the three gave him their orders, Race taking a second to try to gamble his way out of the bill.  
  
Blink glanced around the room looking for familiar faces. He skipped from face to face until he spotted Sparks, Waffles, and Hiccups. He didn't know Waffles very well... in fact no one really did, but he didn't care to know either. His gaze shifted to Hiccups, the ex-newsie. All he knew about her is that she could sing better then anyone he knew and that she had left the newsies to work for Medda who had offered her a place to stay and pay better then she had known as a newsie so that she could write new material for Medda and the girls who worked there. Then he looked towards Sparks, who was she? In all the time she spent with the newsies he had never taken the time to get to know her or learn her story. It was obvious that he was interested in her, he just lacked the confidence to say anything.  
  
A waiter walked briskly towards Blink's trio, obviously in a hurry. He set food in front of them and poured coffee for them all, but in the waiters rush he dropped the pot of coffee sending coffee all over Blink. "HOT HOT!!" Blink yelped as he jumped out of his seat brushing coffee off of him frantically. Sparks, filled with concern for a fellow newsie, ran to Blink's aid with all the napkins she could grab off the table. She had just made it to Blink when Mush picked up a glass of water and splashed Blink with it, getting the majority of it on Sparks. The end result: A relieved Blink and an infuriated Sparks both of which soaked and exchanging glances of surprise.  
  
"Wha'd'ya say we get outta here?" Blink said to Sparks who was about ready to soak Mush. "Yeah," Sparks said trying not to sound angry "lets get outta here and back to the Lodging house."  
  
The two walked out patting themselves dry with napkins as the remainder of both groups watched looking both shocked and amused. Outside it started to rain heavily. The two tables went back to their meals and watched the rain silently. 


End file.
